A very compelling and well made film. Every shot, every line of dialogue has a putpose and adds to the multi-layered story. It is amazing how much can be told in such a short time.
On the surface, it is a story about issues women have to deal with in a traditional tribal society. But it is just as much about Suliman, the man of the family, and complex choices the family has to make for their sirvival. It is clear that Suliman has his daughters' best interests at heart and loves his first wife but he has to fit in the tribe and play by the rules because their support is all he has if tomorrow, his home gets bulldozed by the Israeli government and he ends up losing everything, the way Anwar's relatives did. This is the fate he wants Layla to avoid and when he tells her about her future husband, the only thing he cares for is that she "finds peace". Peace and security are the most important values, in his eyes. When you are a second class citizen in your own land, community/clan can sometimes be perceived as the only source and guarantee of security.
An arranged marriage is not necessarily what Suliman wants for his daughters in the first place. He wants Layla to be independant and have an education and better future, he is concerned about her grades even more than she is. But when Layla and Anwar decide to marry and he learns about Anwar's situation, he feels he has to prevent their marriage at all costs. Apart from Anwar's not yet being able to support Layla financially, the family also risks losing respect and support of their village, and he has younger daughters to provide for. It is for the same reasons, to gain favours from the community, that Suliman takes the second younger wife whom he doesn't love and doesn't sleep with. But apparently, the new wife comes from a relatively wealthy family who helped build and furnish a new house for the couple whereas Suliman's own financial situation leaves much to be desired. Jalila understands all this, both she and Suliman roll with the punches but in the end, she can't help but feel resentment and disappointment towards her husband for his lack of independence and self-respect.
Suliman believes that he has to make sacrifices for the future of his family but all it leads to is the young generation having to make sacrifices of their own, and the cycle goes on.
On the surface, it is a story about issues women have to deal with in a traditional tribal society. But it is just as much about Suliman, the man of the family, and complex choices the family has to make for their sirvival. It is clear that Suliman has his daughters' best interests at heart and loves his first wife but he has to fit in the tribe and play by the rules because their support is all he has if tomorrow, his home gets bulldozed by the Israeli government and he ends up losing everything, the way Anwar's relatives did. This is the fate he wants Layla to avoid and when he tells her about her future husband, the only thing he cares for is that she "finds peace". Peace and security are the most important values, in his eyes. When you are a second class citizen in your own land, community/clan can sometimes be perceived as the only source and guarantee of security.
An arranged marriage is not necessarily what Suliman wants for his daughters in the first place. He wants Layla to be independant and have an education and better future, he is concerned about her grades even more than she is. But when Layla and Anwar decide to marry and he learns about Anwar's situation, he feels he has to prevent their marriage at all costs. Apart from Anwar's not yet being able to support Layla financially, the family also risks losing respect and support of their village, and he has younger daughters to provide for. It is for the same reasons, to gain favours from the community, that Suliman takes the second younger wife whom he doesn't love and doesn't sleep with. But apparently, the new wife comes from a relatively wealthy family who helped build and furnish a new house for the couple whereas Suliman's own financial situation leaves much to be desired. Jalila understands all this, both she and Suliman roll with the punches but in the end, she can't help but feel resentment and disappointment towards her husband for his lack of independence and self-respect.
Suliman believes that he has to make sacrifices for the future of his family but all it leads to is the young generation having to make sacrifices of their own, and the cycle goes on.